Tangerine: A One Direction Fanfiction
by psychedelics
Summary: OFC/Louis/Harry/Niall. - Scarlet Ryder is a rockstar. There's no way she could tolerate a boyband... ;) - She's just trying to protect her rockstar image. The fact that her manager lined her up to open for 1D is just a laugh. What will happen when it comes down to publicity and actual... -feelings- for the boys?
1. Chapter 1

_The Bouncing Souls - I Know What Boys Like_

I like boys. As blunt as I can put it, they consume most of my thoughts, and are the subject of the majority of my songs. And here I am trying to write a song with no boy in mind – not a soul at all.

It's weird for me. I'm the type that always has a current love interest, but lately no one has seemed to spark my attention. I do hook up often, but no one has quite been relationship-worthy yet. Maybe I'm too picky... but it's good to be picky, right? Why settle for less?

My name is Scarlet Ryder. (I sound like a bloody cowboy superhero, I know.) I am a professional singer-songwriter-musician from Cheshire, England. I'm very particular about my music, I'll tell you that. What I play is what I like, and what I like is specific. Rock, punk, ska and indie are it. Don't even approach me with rap, hip-hop, R&B or top 40 – I will leave. (Or stay and be ill.)

I'm starting to wonder if this stubbornness is the cause of my unsteady love life. It's a major turnoff for me if a guy has poor music taste. Regardless, my motive is to stick to my guns, then the right bloke will come in time.

As far as my own music goes, one could compare my sound to a mixture of The Strokes, Green Day, Goldfinger and The Beatles. Weird mixture, I know, but it's different and it works. So much so, that I've been getting excellent gigs lately! I'm not just limited to pubs and parties anymore, but I've begun to play at larger outdoor venues with much bigger names. It's like I'm not even controlling anything, and it just keeps getting better and better all the time! Except for right now.

Right now I'm at my manager's flat in downtown London, and I still can't write this song. I have no inspiration whatsoever. The situation is right and everything, it's just my mind that's not there. My manager, Mitch Leybourne, has been out for the past hour, and said that he'd be back with either no news or great news. _That's_ something to look forward to. I'm not one to expect much, so any news at all is a bonus!

I hear a key turn the lock in the door, so I sit up and place my guitar to the side. Mitch's sneaky face enters the room before he does.

"Mitch! You creep!" I laugh as he approaches. "What's the news?" He smiles at me anticipatingly, as if he has something to say, but he has yet to utter a word. "Or... is there news?" I ask.

"There _is_ news," he voices. "There is amazing news – excellent news – news that will blow the top off -"

"MITCH!" I grin. I hate when he does this to me. He and I are close – we know each other to a tee – so we always play around like this.

"I'm just gonna say it this time, Scar," he sits down with me. I don't speak as I wait for him to continue. This must be big; he never takes this approach when informing me of shows. "Have you ever heard of a little place called Wembley Stadium?" he asks.

"YOU'RE JOKING," I am gobsmacked. Whenever I hear of Wembley Stadium, the band Muse always comes to mind – one of the best bands on earth – whom of which I saw perform there at the stadium's first-ever sold-out show!

"Completely serious, love," Mitch grins. "You have the chance to perform on that stage for up to _ninety thousand_!"

I am elated, but then I cue in to his wordplay, "_Have the chance?_ Isn't it set in stone already?"

"You are the first choice. They really seem to like that girl-power edge you have going on. (I cut in with an annoyed '_oh god_' here.) "And the band you're opening for has already had multiple number-ones world wide!"

"Top 40?" I give him a pleading look. He knows I wouldn't stand to have that image brought upon myself. But I could never pass up on an opportunity like this. "What's the band?"

"Bear with me now..." he gives me a look. This cannot be good at all. "It starts with _One_, and ends with... It's- It's One Direction, Scarlet."

"No. No, absolutely not," I am thrown off. "Sorry, I can't."

"They're great guys! Think of the experience you'll have! And you'll gain so many fans!"

"Yeah, the wrong kind of fans," I pout, slumping in my seat. "Fans that don't even know what music is."

"But Wembley Stadium, Scar..."

"_But Wembley Stadium..._" I repeat longingly. "Do I have to make a decision right now?"

"You'll be meeting them before you decide."

I lighten up slightly, "I can't believe you called them a band," I chuckle.

"Well... they are a band... of boys..."

"A boy band, Mitch. Seriously," I shake my head, but can't help grinning.

* * *

_The Clash - London Calling_

Today is the day that I will be meeting One Direction. I did my best to create a 'no care' sort of look, making sure to add on extra dark eyeliner to compliment my combat boots. Mitch and I are awaiting the arrival of the boys. We're in a business lounge at The Connaught hotel in London. It's quite nice. There are comfy couches and chairs along the borders of the room, and a table of refreshments to one side. I'm at ease, although Mitch keeps taunting me by singing _What Makes You Beautiful_ – the only song I ever hear playing in any shopping centre or food mart.

We hear the boys approaching in the hall, so Mitch escorts them in.

Five boys around my age casually enter the room, followed by two older males. The boys are perfectly dressed with perfect hair, and check off all the boxes for a perfect boy band. Just what I expected. The boys reach me as our managers have a chat.

"Hi, I'm Liam," one of the boys comes up to me, smiling; the others in tow.

"Scarlet," we shake hands. To be fair, he seems nice.

"I'm Zayn," the most put-together-looking guy greets me. Guaranteed he keeps a mirror by his side at all times.

"Harry Styles," the third boy moves closer. He slightly resembles a young Mick Jagger, which I think is _amazing_. But I can already sense that he's the main heartthrob of the group, and I'm totally against liking guys that all the other girls like. Especially those in boybands.

"Hello, I'm Louis," a gorgeous boy approaches me. Shit. We shake hands, and I give him a kind (but unamused) smile, just to save face. Although he is 100% gorgeous, I remind myself that he is in no way my type.

"And I'm Niall, nice to meet you," the blonde one smiles, shaking my hand warmly. He's Irish; how charming.

My god, this has gone to shits.

"Well, you've met One Direction at last," their manager states. "A great event for a girl your age?" he chuckles.

My face says: _What the fuck?_ But my mouth says: "Um, sure?" Not much of a variation, but a tad classier.

"Well, I'll leave you all to it!" Mitch squeezes my shoulder and heads out the door with the two other grown men. I watch him leave as a sickness spreads in and around my stomach. I turn around reluctantly to see the five boys staring at me expectantly.

"I guess I should introduce myself then?" I ask the group.

"Sure, go ahead!" the first boy smiles at me. Shit, I already forgot his name.

"Okay, I'm Scarlet Ryder. I'm twenty, from -"

"You're from Cheshire," Mick Jagger boy smirks.

"That I am," I chuckle. "You are?"

He nods, "Of course, can't imagine how -"

"Harry! Let the girl speak!" the pretty one jokes. "This isn't the Haz show, you know!" His high voice is endearing.

I laugh, easing up slightly, "It's alright, there isn't much more to know. My music kind of speaks for me."

"Yeah, we heard your single," Ireland tells me. "It's surprisingly good! You write that?"

"I write all my songs. I dunno about you guys?"

"We co-wrote three with some producers," the one named Harry speaks up again.

"But we're writing for the new album ourselves," Gorgeous finishes off for him.

"That's decent," I say. At least it's a tad better than I had imagined. "What are your ages, may I ask?"

"You don't know us," the Pakistani-looking one says, deadpanned. It's a statement; not a question.

"Not particularly, no. I know of you, just nothing too in-depth," I shrug. They all look incredibly shocked. _Checkmark!_

"Wow. Well I'm nineteen, along with Liam and Zayn," Niall says.

"Yup, and Lou is turning twenty-one, and baby Harry is still eighteen," Liam informs me.

Eighteen? Balls. But twenty-one... I could do that... _No, Scarlet. __Boyband__._

"I still can't believe you don't know us!" Zayn laughs as Niall heads for the refreshment table.

"I do know of you, I'm just... it's just not my scene," I say, trying to be nice about it all. I hope I didn't ruin anything.

"That's okay, actually," the corners of Harry's mouth turn up, "I think it's great that you don't follow the crowd."

"Thanks, mate," I slowly smile back, feeling actual respect. Surprising.

Forget it, I'm taking this opportunity!

* * *

_One Direction - Save You Tonight_

It's been a few weeks since One Direction and I were introduced, and I'm quite ashamed to say that they're just what I needed. To my dismay, my manager was right - they really are great guys; hilarious and a joy to be around! The live show rehearsals for the tour haven't started yet, so we've had some time to get to know each other in-between their promotional events.

All five of the boys are gems. Even though they were formed as a band, it's like they were always meant to be together. I've so far learned that Liam is the father-figure of the group, and from my view, the most deserving member, considering all he's been through in his music career. Zayn was kind of reserved at first, which he often is, but he's a ball of fun once he opens up. Niall is just a sweetheart, and is the cutest, goofiest, hungriest Irishman I have ever met. Harry Styles is sometimes hard to read, but that just makes him all the more intriguing. And after getting to know his flirty self further, his age doesn't bother me so much. I've made out with guys two years younger than me before, just saying.

Then there's Tommo. Louis is... I can't even begin with this one. He saved me. That song I was struggling with is now as good as complete, all thanks to my bare interest in him.

The song is slow; it's a ballad. And it's all about how I shouldn't feel this way about him, yet he's my one source of guilty motivation. It's great, it's intriguing, and it could definitely be my next hit. Zayn suspects it's about Louis, though, as he keeps teasing me whenever Lou is in the room. And I'm not that great at hiding things, so I've pretty much made it obvious for myself.

I've completely opened myself up to the boys these past weeks. I've seen all of their _X Factor_ episodes, as well as their video diaries, and have joined the exquisite Tumblr fandom, which - might I add - is fucking hilarious.

I think it's the sarcastic, comical attitude of the Tumblr fans that made me end up falling for them - that, and actually being around them so often! I find it incredible: months of no romantic interests, and then a sudden slam of intriguing boys. What the fuck.

Right now we're in Harry and Louis' hotel room, otherwise known as the Larry Stylinson suite. I love their bromance. They're my favourites.

The six of us are just lazing around the beds and recliners in the room, having a laugh.

"You're pretty much the sixth member of the band now, Scar," Louis jokes from beside me on the bed.

"Oh god no!" I laugh. They know boybands aren't my thing, but they also know how I love them.

"Yeah, we're not so much of a boyband now that you're one of us!" Harry jests with his drawl.

"You definitely still are!" I say. "And I'm not! I'm just the... groupie?" I laugh again.

"Groupies have to sleep with the band for it to work," Niall winks.

"Scarlet would have no problem with that," Zayn says cheekily, looking right at me.

"Shut it, Zayn," I warn him.

"Whoa, do they know something we don't?" Louis' eyes light up magnificently.

"It's nothing, come off it," I say.

"You slept with one of us," Harry assumes assuredly. "Funny, I thought it'd be me first."

"I didn't shag any of you!" these blokes are hilarious! "I haven't even kissed any of you, alright?"

"About time," Louis leans over and kisses me on the cheek. A fluttering sensation spreads throughout my entire body. It's like fireflies have suddenly lit me up.

"_Louis Tomlinson!_" I smirk. I can feel my face heating up as the other boys share their cheeky reactions. "Don't make Hazza jealous now," I say to distract from my obvious feelings, sending a shameless wink over to Harry.

"Yeah," Harry pipes up. "What happened to 'me first'?"

"I was actually referring to your relationship with Lou," I say, mock-seriously, smirking.

"Oh... yeah... That too," Harry smirks back at me, then at Louis who reciprocates it.

"Is this just a free-for-all now?" Niall asks with wide eyes. "Can we all just run up and kiss the girl?"

The guys are a chorus of "yup," making me laugh and say, "Of course!"

"Not if I capture her first!" Louis says dramatically with a lower voice. He softly tackles me onto the bed we're sitting on, making me hysterical. Lou's sense of humour is the best.

"Whoa! At least wait 'til we leave the room!" Liam chuckles.

"But it's my room, guys," Louis acts all serious, looking up at them from on top of me.

"It's my room too," Harry says slowly, "so by contract I can get in on some of this action."

"_Larry Stylinson threesome_," Zayn snickers softly from across the room. Everyone just so happens to hear him, causing them all to burst out laughing.

"We all knew it would happen one day," Liam jests with the biggest grin.

I return the grin, sitting up, "It all sounds lovely boys, but I do have a curfew."

"You're leaving us!" Niall says all Irish-like.

"Yeah, I gotta go for the night, but I'll be seeing you tomorrow," I stand up, "as per usual."

I receive warm hugs from each of the boys, and head back to my neighbouring room.


	2. Chapter 2

_The Killers - Midnight Show_

We're about six pitchers into the night; three of which were free. (The length some girls will go to get a smile and a 'thank you' from One Direction!) I'm actually surprised that a couple of girls recognized me. I figured I'd be swept under the rug since I'm sitting with the main focus of the pub, but one girl said I looked familiar, and the other actually knew my name and wanted a photo! Aside from the distractions of others, we're having a pretty fantastic night. This is only the second time I've drank with the boys. The first time was with my manager, and we each only had a pint or two, so I have yet to see the lot of them as their true drunk selves - something which is coming out for sure tonight!

I'm surprised to find out that Harry is the lightweight of the group. No wonder he only drinks on occasion! He and I have each had about three pints from the pitchers, and we're visibly on the same level. It's no shock that he turns into even more of a flirt when he's tipsy, but it _is_ a shock that Louis does! Louis' hand has been resting on my leg for the past five minutes, making me more aware of my actions and surroundings.

I also think Zayn's clueing in to our under-the-table action. He always seems to be the first to suspect things like that... and the first to tell Liam?!

Zayn whispers into Liam's ear, motioning knowingly towards Louis and I. Liam notices that I'm watching them and raises his eyebrows at me, grinning, as does Zayn. Their smiles are infectious, but I still widen my eyes and send them a warning glare.

"You guys should just get battered tonight!" Liam suggests cheekily. I can tell he's mocking me; his sly wink at me gives it all away. "It's our day off tomorrow anyways!"

"I agree," Zayn plays along. "It feels like the right night."

"Not gonna argue there!" Louis removes his hand from my leg to top off his pint with the remaining beer left in his pitcher. "We'll have three more," he calls to the passing waitress.

I see what they did there.

It's half an hour later, and Louis' hand is back on my leg; a little further up my thigh this time. I'm starting to like the fact that Ziam's got their own pairing squad... all they need are the boots to match!

"You doing alright there, Hazza?" Louis asks a dizzy-looking Harry.

"I'm... drunk," Harry says in a daze. Really, I didn't think his speech could get any slower.

"Yup," I smile hazily across at him, "can't feel my hands."

"Can you feel your tits?" Haz asks seriously. I look down and place my hands over my shirt, then look up and nod, trying to stifle a laugh. Harry nods back, "Good, that's all that counts."

"Are you guys serious?" Liam asks, unsure whether to laugh or not, while Louis is the loudest thing ever, doubled over in hysterics.

Both Harry and I just end up chuckling softly as Zayn gets up and says, "Alright, I'm out for a fag."

"Let's go," Louis pats my leg and motions his head in Zayn's direction. He leads me away from the group table, stopping by the bar before we reach the pub's entrance. "Hey mate," he says to the man behind the counter, "Two shots of rum, please, for myself and my dame."

_I'm his dame? How lovely. :)_

"Cheers," says the man after Louis pays him, placing the two shot glasses in front of us.

"Bottoms up, love," Louis smiles at me with a tilt of his head.

"Cheers!" I smile back as we down our shots and head out the door, his hand in mine.

To my surprise, Zayn is the only one out front. It's probably not so busy of a night, considering it's Monday. It's a perfectly dark night. The streets are glistening from the rain earlier, and the streetlights reflect right off the pavement.

I can still feel the bitter warmth of the rum in my stomach as we approach Zayn. He casually takes a pull from his fag before he turns to see us. His eyes go immediately to our joined hands.

"Well, look at that! Tommo's got himself a rockstar!" Zayn smirks, intentionally boosting my ego.

"He bribed me with alcohol," I joke, squeezing Lou's hand while looking at him fondly.

"What any pop star would do," Louis jokes, using the same tone, smiling over at me.

"Alright," says Zayn bluntly, stepping out his smoke with his foot. "Let's see it then."

"See what?" Louis asks.

"The kiss! Let's see it!"

I stall for a moment, "We've never -"

"Then it's about time, yeah?" Zayn says. There's no use in arguing with the lad. Plus, the booze has given me that extra kick of confidence. So I shrug the matter off, place my hands on Louis' shoulders, and give him a slow, sweet kiss on the cheek.

_The Beatles - Something_

__I pull back smiling, and Louis gazes straight into my eyes; his eyes slightly glazed over from the alcohol, "He'll probably want a little more of a show, yeah?" He says it so softly that only I can hear, then proceeds to lean towards me again.

I don't hesitate. I have no nerves in this situation, and from Louis' demeanor, I'd bet that his confidence is as high as mine.  
Our faces get closer, and the gap between us is closed before I know it. Louis' warm lips are pressed against mine, and all I can think about is how good this feels, and how electric our chemistry is. I deepen the kiss, moving my lips to a slow, pulsating rhythm that Lou follows with ease. He presses his body against mine - his hands firm on my hips - and exhales deeply as his tongue plays along with mine.

I drape my arms around his neck and suck gently at his bottom lip, teasing him a little. The action seems to set him on fire, as he presses even closer, widening the kiss even further.

I am so entranced by our snogging session that I am deaf to the sound of the pub door opening. The remaining boys of One Direction audibly filter out onto the street. At first, they react completely shocked, but snap back to it and begin teasing us in a cheeky and suggestive manner. Louis and I pull away from each other, both laughing softly at the boys' reactions... and the fact that _we just made out_!

"Glad I asked," Zayn winks at the two of us.

"Nicely done!" Liam congratulates his friend with a pat on the back.

"Shit, I'd no idea!" says a cheerful drunk Harry. "Since when?"

"Dunno, it just happened," Louis smiles at me again, and I shrug with a pleasant expression on my face.

"Oh, your bag, Scar," Harry hands me my black leather satchel.

"Thanks, that's kind of you," I smile, taking it from him. He's a sweetheart to have brought it for me.

"We're going to drink back at the hotel," Niall tells us, grinning. He's always thrilled to drink; what a character. :)

The lot of us head back to the hotel along the narrow streets of London. It's quite close by the pub, so we don't have far to go. But that short distance doesn't stop Louis from taking my hand once more. He's a romantic, I can tell.

We reach the hotel and make our way through the lobby. We receive some looks, but we calmly avoid any random interactions. Once in the elevator, I can sense just how drunk I'm becoming - I lean on Lou for a little support. He softly embraces me, and I catch a glimpse of his smug grin in our reflection. It makes me chuckle.

I quickly stop by my own room and change into something a little more comfortable. I put on some pyjama shorts and a Rolling Stones sweater, then return to the hallway. Niall and I meet up. He's got his acoustic in one hand, and half a bottle of whiskey in the other. After a laugh, the two of us enter the Larry Stylinson suite. The gang cheers when they see Niall with the whiskey. In this short time it looks like they've already revived the party! The whiskey bottle is being passed around and poured in no time, but as the boys are distracted with the booze, I'm distracted by Mr. Tomlinson.

He is the cutest thing ever in his pyjama pants, and I can't stop myself from fantasizing about how much I want to touch his bum. And with that thought:

"What's on your mind, love?" Louis slowly warms up to me before I have a chance to even sit down.

"I want to touch your bum."

It just sort of slipped out.

"BOYS!" Louis turns away from me, commanding the attention of his bandmates. "I'm going to need you all to vacate this premises!"

_The Rolling Stones - Get Off My Cloud_

After a thoughtful pause, Zayn says, "Yeah, that's not happening."  
"Come on, have a heart!" Lou grips me like some Titanic shit, all over-dramatic and hilarious.

"There _are_ other rooms, you know," Harry states, staring fixedly at us with that look.

Harry has that look - the one where his eyes just cut right through you and make you weak. It's pretty powerful shit.

"Oh, come on, we're just playing around," I turn myself away from Harry and face Louis, still in his embrace.

"Yeah, what kind of pervert are you, mate?" Louis jokes, acting fake-disgusted.

"Come off it," Harry chuckles, clearly amused. "Love the shirt by the way, Scar."

"Thanks love," I say.

"Stones are always top," he says with a stretch, puffing his chest out.

"Stop flirting with the man's girl, Harry!" Niall half-jokes, clearly a bit more drunk than he was when we first came in.

"They're not dating, Niall," Harry still can't help but chuckle a little. "Wait... right?"

"We're just having fun," I smile at Louis, who gives an affirming nod.

"Yeah, calm your bollocks, Niall!" says Lou, smirking.

Louis and I take a place in the room and make ourselves comfortable. He pours me a mixed drink - the last one I'll be having for the night. (I won't be getting too blitzed.) I sip from the glass and consider why Niall of all people would tell Harry to stop flirting with me. Harry is a natural flirt after all, and everyone's used to that. At least that's what I thought. Maybe it was just a joke. Maybe I'm just not fully accustomed to drunk Niall's ways yet. Although drunk Niall is pretty spectacular... :)

"So how's the song coming along, Scar?" Louis interrupts my thoughts as the other boys are caught up in their own conversation.

My eyes widen, slightly, "What song?"

"Your new one - the slow one," he smiles. _He can't know it's about him..._

"It's... wonderful..." I say, looking him in the eyes.

"I can't imagine you doing a ballad," Louis chuckles. "You're so much of a rockstar!"

"Yeah, it's... different," I say carefully, referring to both the song and my attraction towards him.

"Different can be good," he looks at me. _He knows._

"Not always," I say, "but in this case... potentially."

"I don't think you could write a bad song," he squeezes my knee sweetly.

I smile at him. _Or maybe he doesn't have a clue._


	3. Chapter 3

_Funeral Suits - All Those Friendly People_

I'm not too hungover, yet I still feel uneasy. I kissed Louis for the first time last night, and it really got me thinking... Do I really want this? I do like him - I mean, God, I wrote a song about him - but after last night, I don't know how far I want to take it.

Here I go again, being the picky asshole that I am.

I just keep thinking about who he is, what he represents, and - I know it seems selfish, but - the image that will be brought upon me if we continue to build upon what we have now. What will my reputation become?

Imagine me: the young female rock musician that has candidly criticized all Top 40 artists for being puppets to the industry... actually _dating_ one of those puppets! What would _I_ become?

I dial my manager's number on my cell phone.

"Mitch Leybourne; music management," he answers.

"Mitch, it's Scarlet," I say.

"Ah, Scarlet, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"...I don't know if I can do this," I utter.

"He doesn't speak for a moment, but then chuckles and says, "You've made this commitment for just under a month, and now you've got the jitters? That's somewhat unlike you!"

"It's not the jitters! It's guilt!" I say. "Me with a boyband? It's preposterous!"

"I know how fixed you are about your image," Mitch says all father-like, "but I have a feeling that this is not just about the Wembley show..."

I pause. Shit. "But it kind of is!" I say honestly.

"Kind of, but not entirely," says Mitch. "Here, you have two more months until the performance. It's enough time to figure things out. Continue to run with the boys, and see how you feel by the end of it all. What's the harm in trying?"

I slump in my seat, "I'll give it a shot," I say glumly. How is he always so convincing?!

Once our conversation ends, I text Harry. He's the one I'm closest with in the group as far as friends go. He and I are the Stones fans. It's part of why we're already so close; we can relate. :)

Harry invites me over to his flat in North London. I've never been to any of the boys' places before - it's always been hotels or pubs where we've met up. He sends me the directions and I pop into a cab.

It's not too long of a cab ride there, but it's enough time for my thoughts to invade me again. This time they're not so bad! All I consider is how lucky I am to be headed down to Harry Styles' flat... for him to have personally texted me the directions to his place... _to know his home address!_ I can't even comprehend the insane amount of girls that would kill to be me right now!

Harry is waiting for me out front of the (estate) flat once I arrive. He stands up off his regal front steps as I get out of the cab.

"Scarlet Ryder," he says suggestively. "Look who's sober!"

"Oh god," I laugh. "I should say the same for you!"

"You're right on that one," he chuckles slowly.

We greet each other with a hug once we near, then he leads me up the front steps and into his home. It's bloody luxurious. And also incredibly clean for a place that's owned by a boy.

"So did you come here to hang out with me, or did you just come to see Lou?" he asks.

"Oh, that's right, you two live together! I completely forgot," I say.

"Nice cover," he smirks.

"There's no cover. I came for you," I say plainly, giving him a smile.

"Right then, let's get on it. The bedroom's upstairs," Harry says quickly.

"Sleazy!" I laugh. "I didn't come here for a shag; this isn't one of _those_ types of visits!"

"No fair," he smirks, giving me his look.

I roll my eyes, smiling, "I just came to hang out and get to know you better.

"Sober?"

"Yes."

"There's a catch," he looks at me suspiciously.

"My manager said I should."

"There she is!" he grins, leading me into the living room.

"So Lou isn't here?" I ask.

"No, his mum's come down and took him out to London for the day," Harry says.

"That's sweet."

"Bit of bonding," Harry smirks as he sits on the couch. "You sure you didn't come for him?"

I laugh again, "Of all the boys of One Direction, I think you and I have the most in common. So let's go out somewhere like regular friends do!"

"That seemed a little strained," Harry chuckles.

"It's because I'm sober, and I sort of have an image to maintain," I say honestly, still smirking.

Harry smiles at me, "Let's go out. I'm not too hungry, but we can find something light."

* * *

Harry and I sit at one of the tables outside of the Camera Cafe. (It's a wonderfully original little shop that's right around the corner from the British Museum.) We decided to share a salad since neither of us were too hungry. The both of us pick at it as we chat and get to know each other.

"So when'd you start playing guitar?" Harry asks.

"Erm, I was about ten, so just over ten years," I tell him.

"Ten years," says Harry, visibly impressed. "Fantastic."

"And you with singing?"

He shrugs, "Pretty much my whole life I guess. But I never took it seriously until I was a teen. Mum was my only fan for years!"

"And parents _have_ to say you're good!"

"Yes! Exactly!" he says and we laugh together.

I feel Harry graze my hand with his.

"What was that?" I ask.

"You had a fly on you," he says.

"Hah, thanks mate," I smile.

"So are you gonna do the concert?" Harry asks, grabbing a forkful of the shared salad between us. "I heard you're still undecided."

"I dunno," I sigh, also taking a forkful. "It's really not my scene, but it would give me excellent exposure and experience. I'm torn."

Harry cocks his head and smirks at me expectantly.

"That was _not_ a One Direction pun!" I laugh.

The pair of us continue to chat for another hour or so. It's really easy getting along with Harry since we have similar interests and such. He's sort of a rockstar himself. :) As far as Louis and the other boys go, I'm still unsure how far I'm willing to take the relationship publicly... in daylight... and sober.

Regardless, I'll continue follow Mitch's advice and see how compatible I really am with these boys.

* * *

The next morning I lazily go to my laptop and login to Tumblr. I scroll down my dash, checking if there's anything worth reblogging. I stop by a text post that reads: "_In two years we'll all be holding up signs that say 'Free Zayn' outside a prison._" That gives me a good hard laugh. I reblog it and carry on.

Then I see it.

_The Cure - Boys Don't Cry_

A photograph of myself and Harry is displayed on the screen before me. It's from our outing yesterday, and it's definitely a paparazzi shot. Below the image, the Tumblr user just wrote '_cute!_' At least it's positive.

I then hesitantly search my name in the tags. Tons of new images come up. The majority are from yesterday's outing, and the remainder are just pictures of myself next to pictures of Harry... I guess to test if we're a suitable match.

We've even got a couple name: _Scarry_. How flattering.

I guess the camera caught us at just the right moment. And now the entire internet has falsified Harry swatting a fly as a romantic hand-touch between the two of us.

And now I am Tumblr famous.

* * *

"_...The couple, seen laughing and holding hands, shared a meal at London's Camera Cafe on Museum Street yesterday afternoon_," Mitch dictates to me from an online article. "How are you taking this?"

"Pretty fine, actually. Kind of weirded out, but fine overall," I shrug. "What about you?"

"I'm just glad you're taking it with a grain of salt!" he pats my shoulder.

"I guess I'm not so irked by it since I know it's not real," I say. "I know the truth, and so do you and Harry and the boys, so people's opinions on a misunderstanding don't bother me as much as they could."

"Well done, Scar! I knew you were a proper investment!" he's impressed. I seem to be having that effect on people lately.

* * *

"I'm still unsure as to why the lovebirds aren't sitting together," Liam winks.

"Yeah, if you're already holding hands in public, I figure you'd be doing way more with all this privacy," Louis says suggestively from beside me.

"There was a fly!" Harry insists.

"That's what they all say!" Niall says over-dramatically.

We're currently at Niall's temporary place downtown. Since none of us had plans for the day, we all decided to get together and discuss what's going on with these new rumours. Rather than a typical contemplation, this get-together has turned into a regular joke-fest. The boys are really poking fun at Harry and I at any turn possible!

"Harry and I could be getting on just fine, Louis," I say, jokingly. "But you're the one that had to go ahead and kiss me! Boy did _that_ turn the tables!" I smirk at him.

Louis laughs, "Pulling _that_ card, are we!" He gives me a wink and a nudge.

"Please, lads!" says Harry pressingly. "Let's kindly move our attention to the Rylinson couple! I've had enough fly jokes for the day."

"Rylinson couple?" Louis laughs.

"Yes; Ryder and Tomlinson," Harry says.

"Oh no, Harry," I stare at him. "Don't you start!"

"Actually, I'm to thank for the birth of Rylinson," Zayn states calmly.

"Me too, in a way," Liam ponders.

"Me too, in a way," Louis repeats thoughtfully.

"_Boys!_" I laugh.

"Wait, how did you lads get them together?" Niall asks Liam and Zayn.

"I suggested they drink more," Liam chuckles.

"And I suggested they kiss," Zayn says.

"Did you!" Harry's eyes widen, and the biggest smile spreads across his face.

"It was more than a suggestion," I defend myself.

"You were already drunk and joined at the hand," Zayn smirks at me. "There wasn't much work left to do."

I smile, feeling my face redden, as Louis nudges me once more. We share a glance.

And there it is; that feeling that Louis causes. It's a warmth deep in my stomach that spreads slowly throughout; grazing my heart as it passes over.

I'm so terribly bipolar with everything that's been going on lately. It's honestly killing me that I'm having trouble fully accepting these wonderful young men just because of the fact that they're in a boyband. Are labels really that important to me?

But fuck it; I like Louis and I can't deny that. I just hope I can grow to be unashamedly associated with them and maintain my fabulous rockstar image at the same time. That would be a dream.

_Jet - Snap Your Fingers_

"So," says Liam, pulling us back to our initial conversation, "you two have a choice," he refers to Harry and I.

"And what's that?" I ask.

"What we usually do with any unwanted rumour," he says.

"How unwanted _is_ this rumour...?" Harry voices cheekily.

"_Harry_," I smirk and roll my eyes. "What are these choices, Liam?"

"Well you can either ignore it completely, or deny it on Twitter."

"You do have a Twitter, right?" Niall asks.

"Of course I do," I smile. "And I better have five new followers by the end of the day," I joke.

At that, all five of the boys pull out their cell phones and work silently on them momentarily before looking up again.

"Guys, I was joking!" I widen my eyes, still smiling.

Louis shrugs and smiles, "It was something that should've been done already."

I shake my head and laugh silently to myself. Having all five members of One Direction follow me on Twitter shouldn't be something to be proud of, but it's really something to be proud of.

"So ignore or deny?" Harry asks me.

I ponder his question, then say, "I don't want to go so far as to publicly deny it, since I don't think it's that big of a deal." The boys nod in agreement, and I follow up with; "Plus, I'll probably be spotted with another one of you soon enough, and they'll realize that we're all just friends."

"Yeah, it's only a day after," Zayn says. "We should let it play out a bit."

It's not what any of the guys said that irked me - it's what I said. Soon the world will discover that I'm friends with all of One Direction and not just Harry Styles himself. My reputation and image will be altered whether I play the Wembley show or not.

This is real. This is happening.

"Alright babe?" Louis asks me quietly, trying not to grab the attention of the others. He softly rubs his hand along my leg. I stare out blankly to the floor in front of me before I say it.


End file.
